I’ve been sitting here watching August Rush on cable. Not much of a story, but I love the music. I love movies with music as a theme. Current musicals are touchy, though. I don’t automatically like them, whereas, I have always enjoyed musicals from the forties through the sixties.
Why is that? I suppose we don’t grow actor /singers / dancers like the old days. What we have is on Broadway and a Broadway voices tend to be less intimate. Where are the Gene Kelly’s and Bing Crosby’s. I miss those kinds of movies. I want a little fantasy, where people sing when they are sad or happy. My favorite is White Christmas. Huge fan of Danny Kay.
I also like dance movies. I adored the Australian movie, Strictly Ballroom. OMG, I never laughed so hard, and the dancing was superb. I watched the Japanese version of Shall We Dance a dozen times before it came out with Lopez and Gere. I prefer the original. Even the B movie dance company movies suck me in…and yes I do watch So You Think You Can Dance…not the other one. I want to see real dancers, not mediocre dancers.
I hate to even admit this, because there are people I know who would shoot me for saying this, but I never really liked Sound Of Music. Yes, I’m a freak. I’ll watch any dance movie that comes my way. I don’t always like them, but I will watch it once to discover it’s quality .
What is you favorite Musical or dance related movie.
Rhianna
5 comments:
Whew! I’m so glad this isn’t a life or death topic. :-P
I’ve been sitting here watching August Rush on cable. Not much of a story, but I love the music.
Oh, I didn’t want to see this movie cause I thought I’d bawl my eyes out. Although I totally love Keri Russell from Felicity.
I’m not much of a musical or dance movie person, although like you, I really loved the old stuff. I really liked the Busby Berkley films like 42nd Street, the one with Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell. I even have the sound track on my iPod. And I’ve always enjoyed Fred Astaire/ Ginger Rogers movies.
I liked Fiddler on the Roof, saw it on Broadway, and le gasp, Sound of Music. But my lurve for sound of music was just that one moment when Maria and the Capt. do that folk dance in the garden and they first get that they feel something for each other. Damn, but I watched the scene over and over and over again. And I loved the waltz they played with it; it was very sweet. Please don’t let anyone know that I might be that romantic. Ick! LOL
I think singing and dancing have become talents that aren’t that exciting any more when you have car chases, mind bending special effects, and lots of action.
I can’t even imagine shows like Sonny and Cher, The Carol Burnett Show and Donny and Marie show even getting past screeners.
American Idol and Dancing With the Stars (both boring to me) work now because it’s competition and there’s that possibility of someone making a real ass of themselves.
Even though it was a huge hit, I couldn’t get through a sitting of Chicago it was so boring. Except for Queen Latifah, who totally rocked.
I watched the Japanese version of Shall We Dance
Oh I totally loved that film, saw it many times. It’s really so Japanese. I couldn’t watch the Gere version because the Japanese version was so good.
The end of Zatoichi, the one with Beat Takeshi, has this bizarre dance at the end. It’s just so weird to watch a very graphically violent film and then at the end have the cast members, town’s people, do this dance. I loved it though. Totally campy.
I knew you were a romantic at heart. I resisted watching August Rush for a long time for the same reason, because I thought it would be very emotional. I suppose I am now emotionally stunted, because I didn't feel that at all. If that kid is doing the guitar playing then he is amazing.
I like fiddler too, though not to watch over and over. It was good just once. Kind of like Schindlers List, who is going to watch that over and over.
I enjoy the Fred and Ginger movies.
Takeshi Kaneshiro did a Chinese musical a couple of years ago, after flying daggers, that I have not seen, but would really like to. I'd need English titles though.
Speaking of odd musicals...Have you seen Priscilla, Queen of the Desert? If you haven't you absolutely must.
Rhianna
Have you seen Priscilla, Queen of the Desert?
Oh yeah, totally loved it!
Oh and I forgot, not really a movie but really out there, True Stories with David Byrne of Talking Heads. It's just hilarious. I've seen it a few times.
I knew you were a romantic at heart.
You have no idea how much that pisses me off. LOL
If my friends knew they would be like, who are you and what have you done with Leah.
Oh musicals! I adore the older, originals... but the ones that come to mind first:
* Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
* South Pacific
* Singin' in the Rain
Definitely more a fan of the comedic yet extremely romantic stories.
But my all-time favourite I think has to be Fiddler on the Roof. Topol was an amazing Tevye and to see the changes in his life through his eyes ~ humour, tragedy, tears and love, love, love! ~ was so heartbreaking yet hopeful.
I remember seeing Seven brides for seven brothers while in grade school and I adored that one. And Singing in the Rain is worth watching just for that song and dance.
Yes, those are good ones.
Rhianna
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